1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to forward error correction and de-interleaver methods and apparatus in mobile communication networks, and more particularly, to a memory usage optimization of forward error correction and de-interleaver method and apparatus in mobile cellular communication networks.
2. Description of Related Art
In mobile cellular communication networks a forward error correction (“FEC”) component is commonly determined and added to signals communicated between base stations and mobile units in the networks. In addition, the signal is commonly interleaved prior to transmission to reduce the effect of possible burst errors in the network. A mobile unit or base station receiving an interleaved signal with added FEC components must decode and de-interleave the signal. When concatenated code (turbo code) is used for FEC, the mobile unit employs a turbo decoder to process the code where the turbo decoder internally performs interleaving and de-interleaving. The turbo decoder commonly requires a large, energy inefficient memory. These inefficient memories increase integrated circuit (IC) real estate (i.e., chip area) and power consumption of the mobile unit.
A need thus exists for a mobile unit based FEC decoder and de-interleaver system and method that requires small power-efficient memory. The present invention provides such a mobile unit based FEC decoder and de-interleaver system and method.